Sheriff's deputy's wife, teen arrested for taped sex act

September 21, 2007|By Jerome Burdi Staff Writer and Staff Researchers William Lucey and Barbara Hijek contributed to this report.

The newlywed wife of a sheriff's deputy was charged with having sex with a 16-year-old high school student in Royal Palm Beach and videotaping it, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said.

The man who taped it and gave the video to the deputy also was arrested.

Jessica Wink, 22, and German Armentano, 28, who both work at a Publix supermarket in Royal Palm Beach, were arrested Wednesday and charged with sexual performance by a child. The 16-year-old, whose name was not released, was arrested on the same charge.

"I know he looks like a victim, but he's also a suspect as well," sheriff's spokeswoman Teri Barbera said. "Any time anybody knowingly videotapes anything sexual [with a minor] it's against the law."

On Aug. 30, Wellington Deputy John Wink, 27, got a call from Armentano, saying Wink's wife was having an affair and Armentano had it on tape. The tape shows Jessica Wink engaging in sexual activity with the teenager in Armentano's home, in the 2100 block of Palm Beach Drive, while he filmed it at 1:30 p.m. June 18, according to a police report.

The Winks were married Nov. 9, 2006, state records show. It was Jessica Wink's and Armentano's first arrests, state records also show.

Armentano told investigators he gave the tape to John Wink because of an ongoing feud Armentano had with Jessica Wink regarding her work, according to the police report.

Staff Researchers William Lucey and Barbara Hijek contributed to this report.

Jerome Burdi can be reached at jjburdi@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6531.